In a case important to journalists and others who carry sensitive information on their smartphones, computers and e-tablets, the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to rule on when—if ever—police can lawfully search them without a warrant when the owner or other person carrying them is arrested. The position of the California Supreme Court is that such searches are presumed reasonable under the Fourth Amendment, even if police have time to get a warrant. Governor Brown has vetoed a CalAware-supported bill that would have barred such searches in most situations. Now, as reported by David Savage for the Los Angeles Times, the constitutional question has been argued before, and will soon be decided by, the highest court, which appears split on the issue.
